Since returning from WTM London on Wednesday, our headquarters in Interlaken has been buzzing with feedback and comments from conversations with customers, potential customers and industry leaders. We find conferences like these useful because we get a better idea of where the travel industry is headed.

5 strategies to drive bookings for your tour or activity business in the Caribbean

Tour and activity providers in the Caribbean have the advantage of being in a tourist hotspot, but it's not enough just to expect bookings to roll in when the sun is shining.

Set aside some time to drive your marketing to actively build your company and your chance of more bookings.

1. If your tours are in paradise, show this off with visual marketing

As humans we're drawn to pictures. As a result, if your tour or activity company is based in awe-inspiring surroundings, you have access to a distinct marketing advantage. Show customers what they will see and experience on your tours or activities: don't just tell.

Fill your marketing arsenal with high-quality photos and videos of the best views the Caribbean has to offer. With successful visual marketing (make sure it's always honest), you will get more bookings from guests wanting time in paradise.

2. Grow your business with online booking software

If you're relying on bookings over the phone, by email, and in your office, you'll be spending a lot of time on admin. You'll also be losing out on busy customers who want a quick way to book online.

Provide customers with an online booking engine and you will not only save them time, you will make life simpler for yourself and your team. Automate emails, manage your business on-the-go through your smartphone, and view your bookings on a real-time calendar so you're always up-to-date.

A blog helps small businesses to generate 126% more customer leads than those that do not blog, according to HubSpot.

You might post about your lessons learned as a tour provider, business updates, special offers. The key to blogging success is providing something that's of use to your audience. Aim to educate, amuse, enlighten, or inform.

Mobile payments can be a superb assert to your tours or activity business, but it might be the case that you can't always accept them due to Internet connectivity. If so, a solution can be accepting payments with a mobile card reader.

This is just one of the benefits that comes with using TrekkSoft: have a chat with our team and find out how if online booking software can work for your individual business needs.

5. Use your website to show your credibility

Before booking your tour or activity, customers need to trust you to look after their best interests and give them a worthwhile experience. Help potential customers to trust your business by:

Having a professional website, online booking system, and secure payment gateway

Displaying an "about us" page on your website with photos of your team

Don't be afraid to share statistics, such as your number of years in business or the number of customers who have been on your tours

Show customers trust you by displaying testimonials, show that the business world trusts you by listing media mentions.

Improve your SEO with the help of our ebook...

Do you have any other tips to share for other tour and activity providers in the Caribbean?

Looking for the best way to process online bookings and payments for your tourism company in the Caribbean?

Lucy spent three years building TrekkSoft’s content strategy and inbound marketing approach. She now helps companies to find their voice, kick-start projects, and bring in processes that actually work for them. Lucy writes and shares her solo adventures on lucyfuggle.com.

We're here to support you all the way

TrekkSoft was founded to address the needs of our local tour and activity industry in Interlaken, Switzerland. We understand the industry and you can rely on our team to onboard your business, introduce you to digital best practice, and guide you to success from the start.